Columbian Exchange & Early Contact

European arrival triggered the Columbian Exchange and devastating epidemics among Native populations, alongside varied European colonization strategies.

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Overview

Spanish colonization emphasized resource extraction and forced labor (encomienda system); early contact devastated Native populations through disease. Comparing different European powers' early approaches (Spanish, French, English) is a key skill.

Practice Quiz

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What was a major immediate effect of European contact on Native American populations in this period?